Author: Tore Skeie

Translated from the Norwegian by Alison Mccullough

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Vikings

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Snorri Sturluson. The author talking about how odd it was that he didn’t call together his army in the face of what was coming. Being the student of history that he was, he knew what was coming and what would happen to all those he loved if he stood in the way of the oncoming tide. The concept of having your own defiance but not letting it devour all that you love is an awesome testament to the character of the man. 

King Edward, son of Edgar the Peaceful, sounds a LOT like Joffrey from Game of Thrones.

Eadric Streona got what he deserved, just not soon enough. Everyone who dealth with him in those years knew that he had turned on people over and over. Three or four separate occasions he was in charge of people invited in under a truce and safe passage and then knifed them, hung them up, cut off their heads, and put their bodies on display. He was treacherous. 

The hypocriticalness with the idea of fidelity as the highest virtue of Norse culture when we see example after example of their loyalty being for sale time and again.

There are similarities between Athelred’s story and that of King Arthur, though Arthur is never referred to as the Unready. His later chroniclers ignored that he was king for 30-something years and fought wars almost constantly against Viking invaders. 

The whole invalidation of coins at the King’s will, and forcing the populace to turn in 10 coins to receive 8 of the new coins created a transfer of wealth back to the King that was destined to blow up in their face at some point. The Vikings saw that silver flowing around and came to get a piece…especially after the reconquest of the Danelaw region by the Wessex King. 

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Very well paced.

This was a really good book.